Why are taxes high?

one possibility - modern day Manicheanism
My husband and I have been talking over this topic for a while now, especially in light of the current discussion in the US about Social Security funding.
Both my parents retired about 20 years ago, at around the age of 55. They are both (each) currently the prime caretaker for their mothers (one 90, one 84). We will probably need to work until we are in our 70s if not longer. I don't think we are alone in this.

I see this population trend as setting up a rationale for euthenasia - the way to balance out the population is to eleminate a whole lot of old people. Since it would be for the common good, and the demise of the old would make the burden less for the young, and since people are not taught and do not understand why euthenasia is wrong, many will support it and even encourage it. It is going to get scary in my opinion. Those of us with many children may get protected from this scourge - they will be some of the few people raised in a culture of life.

It is hard to build anything stable on an upside down pyramid. That's the reason for all this discussion of social security. In a couple decades, they're going to run out of surplus, and the only option left will be to cut benefits or raise taxes. And I'm the one they are going to be taxing!

My Dad used to call us kids - there's 7 of us - his 'retirement plan'. There is a natural truth in that (though right now he has more assets than all 7 of us put together).

Nice post, Alicia.. I had never heard of Manicheanism... he kind of sounds like he would have been a member of PETA today. I see a lot of new sites noting the low-infertility levels around the world & making it seem like a health mystery... it seems so simple, too many are using contraceptives and having abortions.

PapaC and I joke that our retirement plan is either based on lottery tickets or perpetually working. He is going to hand out baskets at WalMart and I am going to be the lady at Walgreens who doesn't know what's on sale and can't make the cash register work.